Portage County Sheriff: No 'direct threat' to Southeast High School on Tuesday

By Dave O'Brien | Staff Writer Published: February 6, 2013 4:00 AM

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An ongoing dispute between two high school-age girls that found new life on Twitter led to an increased police presence at Southeast High School in Palmyra on Tuesday.

Det. Lt. Greg Johnson of the Portage County Sheriff's Office said there were never any direct threats to Southeast High School on Tallmadge Road, or to any students. The boyfriend of one of the girls, a Warren teen, got involved and made some comments that other people "embellished" and took to mean he was coming to the school with violent intent, he said.

A parent of a Southeast student called the Record-Courier on Tuesday to report an alleged threat of a shooting, as told to her by her child. The only mention of a gun was a "veiled" reference to a lyric in a rap song the boyfriend posted online, Johnson said.

Once school officials were informed, they called the sheriff's office, according to Southeast Superintendent Tom Harrison. Deputies also kept up a presence at the school at the end of the day Tuesday, he said.

Johnson said the investigation is continuing, but he does not expect charges unless the Portage County Prosecutor's Office recommends otherwise.

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"The school took appropriate action," Johnson said. "Nothing was directed at taking any action at the school."

Harrison said the sheriff's office determined the threat was of a "low threshold," and that he did not use the schools' "robo-call" system to alert parents for just that reason.

"When you have something like that, it's important to rely on the law enforcement people to assess the threat and how severe it is," he said. "If the same thing happens again, we will get the police involved again."

Follow Dave O'Brien on Twitter at @RCCrimeWatch

Contact this reporter at 330-298-1128 or dobrien@recordpub.com

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anonymous Feb 6, 2013 11:25 PM

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L.T. "the Llama" Johnson couldn't investigate his way out of a wet paper bag. I liked how he threw the Portage County Prosecutors Office "under the Bus!" I looked on-line blowpop, wholly cow, the guy he married is 25 years younger! I'd be willin' to bet sssssshe likes the the "lissssp/sssspray!!!!lol.It just makes "CENTS"!

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anonymous Feb 6, 2013 10:36 PM

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All of a sudden Greg "Llama" Johnson knows all about rap music? Yo yo yo Greg is my first name- Johnson is my last- I spit like a llama -its like getting a bath-my breath smells like doo doo-I need to wipe my tongue- I just got married and boy is she young!!!! Lol ok ok I'll stop!!!

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anonymous Feb 6, 2013 11:39 AM

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Rob Williams @LiteTheLoud

@BrandonJanis6 @jerbear_smith @KadinSmith1 its good thought don't trip. 2:15 is when you get out of school right? Haha imma see you tomorrow

song lyrics right?

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anonymous Feb 6, 2013 11:30 AM

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bull.. must not have taken a good look at all the tweets then.. cause all of your opinions would have changed! "song lyrics"?? how dumb!

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